Viksit Odisha / Vedanta Aluminium’s ‘Milaap’ Builds Direct Community Dialogue in Kalahandi
·2 months ago·2 min read
Key Points
- Vedanta Aluminium's 'Milaap' initiative facilitates monthly leadership visits to villages near its Lanjigarh refinery.
- The program has engaged over 15,000 community members across 46 villages since December 2023.
- Follow-up actions include providing utility items, sports kits, and agricultural support to local households.
Bhawanipatna, Feb 5: Vedanta Aluminium’s community engagement programme, 'Milaap', has emerged as a platform for regular interaction between company leadership and villages surrounding its Lanjigarh operations in Kalahandi district.
Launched in December 2023, Milaap is a Community Connect initiative aimed at facilitating structured dialogue between senior leadership, site teams and local residents. Under the programme, company officials conduct monthly visits to neighbouring villages to engage directly with community members and discuss local issues.
Unlike one-time outreach activities, Milaap follows a recurring engagement model, with each visit building on previous interactions. Meetings are held in village courtyards, schools and common spaces, where discussions cover agriculture, livelihoods, education, healthcare access and basic infrastructure needs. The focus remains on listening to concerns and following up on issues raised.
Since its inception, the programme has covered 46 villages around the Lanjigarh Refinery, including more than 25 villages in 2025. According to the company, over 15,000 community members have participated in the interactions, with follow-up actions reaching about 3,000 households.
Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya, CEO of Vedanta Alumina Business, said the initiative was designed to take leadership engagement beyond operational boundaries.
“These monthly interactions have gone beyond formal outreach, fostering meaningful conversations that help us understand aspirations and challenges,” Bhattacharya said.
As part of follow-up actions, community spaces in participating villages have been provided with utility items, kitchen equipment and floor seating to support meetings and collective activities. Youth-focused initiatives have also been undertaken, including the distribution of sports equipment and jerseys to local teams.
In Harekrushnapur village, members of the local cricket team received sports kits, while farming households in the region were provided Rabi crop seeds and agricultural tools. Village Sevadal groups were also given uniforms in recognition of their role during local emergencies.
Phillip Campbell, Director Technical at Vedanta Aluminium, said the village interactions provide teams with a broader understanding of local priorities.
Village residents, including Biswambar Pradhani of Harekrushnapur, said the programme has helped strengthen community gatherings and youth participation.
Vedanta Aluminium said the Milaap initiative has led to more consistent communication and increased participation in development-related activities across villages surrounding its Lanjigarh operations.
Launched in December 2023, Milaap is a Community Connect initiative aimed at facilitating structured dialogue between senior leadership, site teams and local residents. Under the programme, company officials conduct monthly visits to neighbouring villages to engage directly with community members and discuss local issues.
Unlike one-time outreach activities, Milaap follows a recurring engagement model, with each visit building on previous interactions. Meetings are held in village courtyards, schools and common spaces, where discussions cover agriculture, livelihoods, education, healthcare access and basic infrastructure needs. The focus remains on listening to concerns and following up on issues raised.
Since its inception, the programme has covered 46 villages around the Lanjigarh Refinery, including more than 25 villages in 2025. According to the company, over 15,000 community members have participated in the interactions, with follow-up actions reaching about 3,000 households.
Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya, CEO of Vedanta Alumina Business, said the initiative was designed to take leadership engagement beyond operational boundaries.
“These monthly interactions have gone beyond formal outreach, fostering meaningful conversations that help us understand aspirations and challenges,” Bhattacharya said.
As part of follow-up actions, community spaces in participating villages have been provided with utility items, kitchen equipment and floor seating to support meetings and collective activities. Youth-focused initiatives have also been undertaken, including the distribution of sports equipment and jerseys to local teams.
In Harekrushnapur village, members of the local cricket team received sports kits, while farming households in the region were provided Rabi crop seeds and agricultural tools. Village Sevadal groups were also given uniforms in recognition of their role during local emergencies.
Phillip Campbell, Director Technical at Vedanta Aluminium, said the village interactions provide teams with a broader understanding of local priorities.
Village residents, including Biswambar Pradhani of Harekrushnapur, said the programme has helped strengthen community gatherings and youth participation.
Vedanta Aluminium said the Milaap initiative has led to more consistent communication and increased participation in development-related activities across villages surrounding its Lanjigarh operations.
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